Monrovia is the
capital city of the
West African country of
Liberia. Located on the
Atlantic Coast at
Cape Mesurado, Monrovia had a population of 1,010,970 as of the 2008 census. With 29% of the total population of Liberia, Monrovia is the country's most populous city. From January 7, 1822 until the
Liberian Declaration of Independence from the
American Colonization Society on July 26, 1847 some 3,198 ex-Caribbean slaves settlers from the
Lesser Antilles, who had escaped from their slaveholder or were born free, left the
Caribbean islands and came to Liberia with the help and support of the
American Colonization Society and other establishment organizations. The ex-Caribbean slaves came to Liberia to live a better life, to be free, and to establish self-governance. The first ex-Caribbean slaves who came to Liberia were from
Barbados; some 500 to 1,000 ex-Caribbean slaves arrived in Liberia. The second group of settlers who came from the Caribbean islands were from
Trinidad and Tobago; they were some 345 ex-Caribbean slaves, followed by some 620 ex-Caribbean slaves from
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Another group of settlers, some 350 ex-Caribbean slaves, came from
Saint Kitts and Nevis. The last two groups of settlers from the Caribbean islands were some 483 from
Grenada and some 400 from
Saint Lucia. As job opportunities and development growth increased, the ex-Caribbean slaves moved through
Grand Cape Mount,
Bomi County,
Montserrado,
Margibi County and other regions of Liberia to seek jobs and other opportunities.